The Phylogeny of the Family Bromeliaceae

Abstract

Bromeliaceae is a morphologically and ecologically diverse family of monocot flowering plant originating in the New World. Traditionally, the family has been divided into three subfamilies; however, with recent molecular phylogenetic evidence, Bromeliaceae is organized into eight subfamilies with 58 genera and 3400 species. The evolutionary history of Bromeliaceae indicates that the family arose in the Guayana Shield roughly 100 million years ago (Mya) with the extant subfamilies beginning to diverge only about 19 Mya and distributed to other parts of tropical and subtropical America and reached tropical Africa. The Bromeliaceae family is associated with epiphytism, the tank habit, leaf trichomes, avian pollinators, and CAM (Crassulacean acid metabolism) photosynthesis. The CAM photosynthesis was possessed by succulent, spiny terrestrial taxa and by the epiphytic forms. This chapter is a classical revisionary work of the Bromeliaceae phylogeny based on morphological and molecular evidence and explores its systematic position in the modern taxa.

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References

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